Daphne was born in Trompsburg, Orange Free State. An original Boere-Jood, she has a keen interest and is involved in the Country Communities sub-committee. She is a past Chairman of UJW Cape Town and currently serves as the National Vice President of UJW SA. Educated at Brebner in Bloemfontein, Daphne went on to gain a B. Comm and HDPM at the Wits Business School.

She worked in Human Resources for Foschini Group, and later for the Hebrew Pre Primary Schools. She is involved in an online initiative promoting tourism to Cape Town and was the co-ordinator of the highly successful 175th Anniversary of Jews in Cape Town year-long programme.

Organisation / Business name

Union of Jewish Women (UJW)

Organisation Description

The Union of Jewish Women (UJW) was founded in Cape Town by Toni Saphra in 1932 on her arrival from Germany at the age of 23. She was a Zionist, feminist and a deeply religious woman, inspired by Jewish women's organisations in Germany, England and America.

Committed to investing in all the people of South Africa, The UJW strives to create a better quality of life for all. In the broader community, these women run and support various initiatives. This includes: 8 Crèches servicing approximately 100 children each, monthly Bingo for seniors from townships, the annual One-to-One event, a weekly soup kitchen, comfort rooms at police stations, provision of comfort kits for rape victims, breakfast and teddies knitted for child court witnesses, support for Friends of Valkenberg, the Quad Para Association, Meals On Wheels, Tape Aids for the Blind, Christmas day goodwill to community emergency workers, support of a Safe House for the abandoned and abused, as well as helping approximately 250 homeless people to receive blankets. Support is also given to Tygerberg and Somerset Hospital Kangaroo Baby clinics, Tygerberg Children's Outpatient clinic, financial support to St Lukes Hospice and provision of meals for the Hospice's terminally patients.